I have completely soured on the American political system. Really, I have given up.

Democrats are in charge of Congress and the Executive and they still pass shit legislation like the weak credit card reform bill, Obama’s financial regulatory half-measures (still to be watered down even further), and now this cash for clunkers deal.

What the fuck? Just what the fuck?

Why should someone driving a piece of shit get my money to help them buy a new car? And, you know what? We’re borrowing it. So it’s my child’s money. $104 billion Treasury auction next week. And the bottom line here is that all of the important reforms are not happening. It’s all window dressing. And kicking the can down the road. Again. Just like the GOP. We have a completely dysfunctional, utterly broken political system and it won’t change until (seriously) a revolution happens.

Now that that GOP has killed the auto bailout in Congress, what will happen?

The automakers will get their money.

Bush will order Paulson to use TARP (or an emergency measure will pass in the Senate.) It is a certainty.

The GOP is stupid, but they’re not suicidal. They’re going to realize that letting General Motors go bankrupt in this economy, just before Christmas, will damn them through 2012, at least. It would be, as Cheney warned, “Herbert Hoover” time for the Republicans.

Thinking about it, it could just be a bit of gamesmanship here. Bush will cover (pun intended) Congress with the TARP money, and the Republicans can still look like principled fiscal conservatives. Bush was never a true believer, they’ll say (despite the fact that they went along with everything).

I am a “What’s the Matter with New York City” voter for the Democrats. In financial terms, the GOP is the party whose policies best align with my interests. I work and vote and help raise money for the Democrats because I believe in the total platform, with some exceptions.

Of course, Bush has made this work all the more important, and Obama truly has given America a reason to hope.

But I walk away from the Lieberman decision with a lesson. It is this: a slap in the face. All of the work that I’ve done for Obama and the Dems was, in part, made necessary because of the actions of Joe Lieberman. Now the Democrats are telling me that my work was, in a sense, without value. In fact, they’re rewarding my enemy, the man who made my job harder.

And they expect me to work as hard next time around?

Expect me to give as the fundraising emails continue to come in?

My only response is that they just lost a source of funding. And until Joe Lieberman is gone, I will urge others to stop giving as well. This was a black and white decision. And the Dems failed. I urge them not to take people like me for granted.

Crist just signed an executive order extending early voting hours in Florida to 12 hours a day (from 8). The move is widely thought to help Democrats.

Either way, bravo to Charlie Crist. This kind of action (imagine helping people vote!) is so rare (from the GOP) that it’s almost shocking. He should be proud of himself for standing up for democracy. From Crist:

As to the perception that more early voting helps Democrats, Crist said: “This is not a political decision. This is a people decision.”

Amen, brother. One step at a time, we’re going to take back our democracy. Crist is earning himself a place at the table.

There isn’t much that is good for McCain in the polling data. Here’s a taste:

Yet on the broader question of leadership, voters gave Obama a 14-point advantage, saying, by 54 percent to 40 percent, that he is a “stronger leader” than McCain. The two were about tied on that question in late September, and McCain held a 13-point edge on strong leadership in early March before the Democratic nomination battle wound down.

Good news, now give more. Donate, volunteer, canvas, make phone calls, or just talk to your neighbors. Even better, get someone to vote early.

If the GOP is on the ground, now is the time to stomp down hard and twist. Now is not the time to even think victory is assured.